HC Deb 01 March 1988 vol 128 cc506-7W
Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Minister for the Arts (1) if he will publish figures showing(a) central Government funding in real terms, and (b) the percentage change in central Government funding in real terms for each of the national museums and galleries for each year since 1974;

(2) if he will publish figures showing the total percentage change in Government funding in real terms for each of the national museums and galleries between 1979–80 and the most recent years for which figures are available.

Mr. Luce

[holding answer 29 February 1988]: The allocations to individual national museums and galleries may not be directly comparable from one year to the next because the system (prior to 1986–87) of re-voting excess receipts in the second financial year after they were earned, and changes in the needs and responsibilities of particular institutions, distort the figures. Also the expenditure on building and maintenance work, which will continue to be managed by the PSA as a single programme until the end of this financial year, cannot be accurately attributed to individual museums.

The aggregate cental Government funding for the national museums and galleries for which I am responsible (including the British Museum (National History) but excluding the National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside which have been funded by central Government since 1986–87) in each year since 1974–75 is shown in 1974–75 prices (using the GDP deflator for this purpose).

£'000 Percentage change
1974–75 16,457 —
1975–76 18,406 11.8
1976–77 18,488 0.4
1977–78 22,033 19.2
1978–79 26,381 19.7

£'000 Percentage change
1979–80 24,397 -7.5
1980–81 25,490 4.5
1981–82 25,275 -0.9
1982–83 27,397 8.4
1983–84 27,198 -0.7
1984–85 28,204 3.7
1985–86 28,846 2.3
1986–87 28,040 -2.8
1987–88 29,103 3.9

The percentage change in the aggregate Government funding in real terms for the national museums and galleries from 1979–80 to 1987–88 is 19.4 per cent.

On 5 November last year I announced a cash increase of 15.9 per cent. in the provision for the national museums and galleries for the next three years.